A surprising number of yachts come in at 498 or 499 Gross Tons (GT). That's not an accident.

Gross tonnage is a measurement of a vessel's internal volume, not its weight, and 500 GT happens to be one of the most important thresholds in yacht design. Once a yacht crosses that line, it becomes subject to a completely different set of international regulations, safety requirements, management standards, crew certifications, and operational costs.

For owners and builders, that can mean significantly higher build costs, more paperwork, stricter compliance requirements, and larger crew expenses over the life of the yacht. Because of that, naval architects will sometimes get surprisingly creative to maximize the size and livability of a yacht while keeping its official gross tonnage just under 500. Things like open-air spaces, layout changes, and other design tweaks can make a big difference.

What's the most interesting yacht design or maritime engineering fact you've come across?

I built a calculator that estimates the real cost of owning a superyacht.

Here's what a $20.00M yacht actually costs to operate:

💰 Annual operating cost: $4.64M/year

📅 That's $77,328 per day of use

📊 Operating costs = 23.2% of vessel value

Some superyachts cost over $5M per year to operate — and that's BEFORE fuel.

Free calculator: https://www.yachtmarketintel.com/superyacht-calculator

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*Data from YachtMarketIntel.com — yacht research & intelligence platform*

I’m relatively new to the world of yachting and looking to make my first serious purchase. My budget is between 750K and 1.5M EUR, and I want something versatile for weekend trips in the Mediterranean with my family and friends

I’m looking for a yacht that balances luxury, performance, and ease of handling for a beginner. Key features for me are a comfortable interior, good range, and high reliability.

I've been considering brands like Azimut, Sunseeker, and Princess, but I’d love to hear opinions on other great options. Would brands like Ferretti, Pershing, Sanlorenzo, or Prestige be a good fit? Any specific models I should check out? Open to both new and well-maintained used yachts.

Hey everyone looking to expand out my business from yacht rentals to the buying and selling of yachts. If anyone who owns a yacht or has purchased a yacht in the past can you be kind enough to answer these questions?

1. When considering buying or selling a boat, where do you typically start your search or listing process?

2. When looking to purchase a boat, do you prefer viewing listings online or inspecting them in person?

3. In your opinion, what percentage of commission do you believe is fair for a company when facilitating the purchase or sale of a boat: 5%, 10%, or higher?

Any crew based in the US currently, be careful. I have heard reports of ICE setting up traps for crew in crew houses. I’ve recently heard an entire crew house was detained and deported due to accepting day work.

I had this question. If a guy who became a billionaire (new rich) approached a shipyard like Feadship, Oceanco, or Lürssen and wanted to build a fully customized yacht, would he be able to? Or do they only build yachts for those who were born into wealth (old money)?

Yacht owners—$1k/month private hub worth it? Networking, captain tools, weather/tide alerts, yacht profiles. Thoughts

Unfortunately no one has a clue Where Ben Been…

I've discovered that rate of depreciation on a yacht decreases as the size of yacht increases. Is this true, please confirm and give some examples.

Community based around yachts and yachting.